If you're like me, you really just want to get along with everybody. But if you simultaneously happen to have strong ideas about freedom and individual rights, and tend to think logically, get ready to lose almost all of your so-called friends. Also, before this post gets "all up in your tits," read to the end.

That's the price you'll pay to keep an open, compassionate mind while still sticking to your guns where it matters most. The price you'll pay to not get too beat up when people misunderstand what you are saying and condemn you in ignorance, or lightly dismiss you and continue on with their misguided angle. Many folks deal with internal dissonance simply by shutting down thought inside, shutting you up, or gaslighting you repeatedly. No matter what the issue — personal or political — they've always got to be "right." Their ego cannot handle being mistaken very well. They've got no place in your world. Sometimes that really fucking sucks, too. Especially when almost everyone has some redeeming or charming quality about them. But everyone's got to decide how true to themselves they wish to remain. As for me, I wish to remain as true to myself as possible.

Lancing the Golden Cow

Does anyone remember Emily Lance? On July 4, 2017, she posted a video to Facebook of herself pissing on an American flag. The reaction was what you'd expect. Outrage from the folks on the so-called "right" totally cool with drone bombing infants in Afghanistan and Yemen into bits, and a bunch of jaw flapping about how this 'little brat doesn't know what the flag stands for.' For her part, I thought Emily defended her position very well. Not that I am even into doing such things to flags, per se, but as a thinking person I thought it was a cool social experiment and did make a bold statement. Emily said:

She further noted:

"Freedom (of speech/expression) means that I'm entitled to do and say as I please. EVEN if you don't like it, so long as I am not physically hurting someone - and no, your precious feelings don't count, that's your own problem. What don't you people understand? You're celebrating freedom while damning me for doing the same. You can't have it both ways FREEDOM OR NONE. Practice what you preach or shut the fuck up."

Among the responses to her video from all-caps shouters, nationalists, and small town bumpkins was one gem which read: "I'd love for someone to shove a razor sharp kbar up her c*nt and pull straight up to her throat."

Bible Babble

I grew up "in the church," as they say. I still hold some beliefs in my heart that I simply do not talk about much anymore because very few people can understand what I mean. Well, maybe I should not say very few, but they are scattered out across the globe, I guess.

I understood almost immediately growing up that doubting the Bible, asking questions about scriptures, or failing to obey what the so-called church leaders magically determined to be the "Holy Spirit" resulted in a kind of excommunication. Both spoken and unspoken. If you had a unique take on a certain Bible verse that was slightly uncomfortable to the orthodox view, it would not be talked about. Once you mentioned it, there'd be some painful, awkward smiles, and the pastor would move on immediately to the next, more comfortable topic. Same drug as statism. The same way you cannot question what the U.S. flag means with the brainwashed zealots above, so is sincere questioning of so-called "holy books" off limits.

Does God ever approve killing babies? Assuming — as do most Christians — that the Bible is a unified work describing a single God, then yes. He definitely does at least accept and command the of killing babies, even in the womb, as necessary on multiple occasions. Of course, the authors could simply be mistaken, but then that does away with the whole "infallible testimony" thing.

I used to try to reconcile all this in my head. Then I finally decided I would think with my own "God-given" brain. And feel with my own heart and mind. After numerous run-ins with, and heartbreaking rejections from, church leaders, being told I was lost, and even having family members seem to believe I had become almost less of a person and judge me on a human level as such, I realized the scam was not worth it, and said goodbye. Unless a "miracle" happens (and I hope it doesn't), I'll never be a member of a church again, and they'll never get a goddamn cent from me in that god-forsaken basket they pass around.

Triggered by Mere Words, Tipping Golden Cows

"A guru was once attempting to explain to a crowd how human beings react to words, feed on words, live on words, rather than on reality. One of the men stood up and protested; he said, 'I don't agree that words have all that much effect on us'. The guru said, 'Sit down, you son of a bitch'. The man went livid with rage and said, 'You call yourself an enlightened person, a guru, a master, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself'. The guru then said, 'Pardon me, sir, I was carried away. I really beg your pardon; that was a lapse; I'm sorry'. The man finally calmed down. Then the guru said, 'It took just a few words to get a whole tempest going within you; and it took just a few words to calm you down, didn't it'? Words, words, words, words, how imprisoning they are if they're not used properly."

-Anthony DeMello, Awareness

Politics, religion, nationalism. Golden cows. Back the blue, support our troops. Golden cows. Idols, idols, idols. MGTOW, BLM, "Proud Boys," militant gender identity fixation, big pharma worship, scientism. Golden cows. Always needing to be "right" and never admitting oversights. Golden cow. Anything can become one, once critical thinking and compassion are abandoned for the mob mentality of joining a "team." This hive mind mentality is comfortable, cozy, and often feels very good. But it's deadly.

For the Christians: If Jesus is/was who the Bible says he is/was, he was also a golden cow tipper. He showed up and "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." At the time there was no Christian Bible. He was just some guy with scraggly followers running around the countryside and gaining prominence teaching powerful things at the temples. If someone came to your church today and did similar, I doubt you'd even listen, to even consider, what he was saying. He'd be out on the street. This tells me you'd have likely been in the same group in Jesus' time who cheered to have him crucified.

For the flag lovers: I understand that many folks associate the American flag with very noble ideas. I don't make the same associations these days, but I understand the sentiment. Freedom. Apple pie. Fighting for what matters and helping others. I hate the blind worship of that colored cloth, however. The willful ignorance of the virtually limitless atrocities it has been used to justify, is disgusting. And remember, if you're wishing harm to those that in freedom ideologically oppose your massive empire, you'd likely have been right there with the redcoats demanding loyalty and "respect" for the king and the great empire of Britain — and your Union Jack flag — at the time of the American revolution.

So yeah, a lonely road. Love everyone, but almost nobody will get you, rest assured. Love everyone, but cut some fuckers out and draw boundaries. I love the Bible, too, for what it is. Read the whole thing, then ripped the pages out. Respect so much of the profundity and divine power therein, but a physical book simply doesn't rule me. Flags at a Fourth of July celebration? Sure. Fun and colorful and stands for freedom. Flags in the toilet? Sure. Fun and colorful and stands for freedom. As long as you're not harming me or my property, we're all good. It's that simple.